Features

We begin a new season of concerts from Carnegie Hall Live. Star sopranos Audra McDonald and Renée Fleming join the San Francisco Symphony conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas for an opening night Gala.

Japan is becoming a leading destination for New Zealand rugby players heading offshore, but is it a rugby pro's paradise or a field of disappointment? Joe Porter reports.

Practical action rather than symbolic statements is what's needed to tackle the climate crisis, Prof Bronwyn Hayward says. Audio

Power Play - The government has finally fronted up with a timeline dismissing some of the cries of "dirty politics" - but several questions remain about the Budget data breach, writes Jo Moir.

Just over four percent of the films in Hollywood are directed by women - a number that hasn’t substantially changed in 20 years. Director and writer Amy Adrion wanted to find out why. Video, Audio

Bantu Continua Uhuru Conciousness, otherwise known as BCUC, is a band from Soweto, South Africa and were the opening act on the TSB Bowl stage in New Plymouth on Friday 15 March 2019.  Audio

Mark Rogers says goodbye to Dr John, happy birthday to Howlin' Wolf and celebrates the 70th anniversary of Hank Williams's debut at the Grand Ole Opry. Audio

The organiser of a rally against domestic violence in American Samoa says the high-profile case of a former NFL star turned Cabinet member has rocked the community.

Fiji will continue to get a premium price for sugar exports to Britain despite uncertainty over Brexit, the Fiji Sugar Corporation says.

The Caledonia Together party says it won't vote for the presidential candidate of the rival anti-independence Future with Confidence group, thereby threatening a possible government deadlock.

Newsroom's Melanie Reid has been reporting on children and babies being taken by the state for two years. Now, footage taken by the families involved reveals the brutal reality of what really happens. Audio

Opinion - Ambition is one thing that thrives in the UK Conservative Party, and the scramble for the No.10 throne began before Mrs May's tears had dried David Townsend writes.

This innovative composer fled to the west under cover of sackcloth in a train during the Hungarian Uprising of 1956. He was born in Translylvania and died in Vienna in on this day in 2006. His Concert Românesc is based on Romanian folk tunes. Audio

Alison Roman's recipes have the three ingredients that are essential for success in today's crowded cookbook market; they're cookable, Instagrammable and delicious.  Audio

A specialist recruiter for people 45 and older is calling for urgent action from private and public organisations to ditch the attitude and to benefit from the experience and knowledge this age group can offer. Audio

Samuel Jacobs leads Brahms' Horn Trio, and we also hear music by Schubert, Doràti and Schumann in this concert from the 2019 Adam Chamber Music Festival.

The Song Crush team this week listens to Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker's evolution, new songs from Sleater-Kinney, Purple Pilgrims, Lower Dens and more Video, Audio

Sleeping blissfully for eight uninterrupted hours is promoted as a modern ideal, but a leading sleep researcher says the idea is nonsensical and history shows human sleep has never conformed to neat patterns. Audio

British singer Morrissey is not always Mr Sad; he can occasionally - very occasionally - deliver smiley-faced pop. William Dart listens to his new album of covers, California Son. Video, Audio

Traditional marine conservation practices in the Pacific could be key to more successful commercial practices.

A Netflix production which had already aired has been reclassified, re-igniting questions about flaws with the New Zealand classification system. Audio

The Football Ferns aren't dreaming of World Cup glory, success for them is rather less ambitious, writes Barry Guy.

The Detail - 5G is coming - what exactly is that, and will it be the revolution telcos would have you believe?  Audio

It's Richard Strauss's birthday.  Here's a tuneful Serenade for wind instruments he composed as a teenager.